Tuesday, September 2, 2008

A simple request

From: David MillerSent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 8:58 PM

Subject: Fw: 9/11 American Flag

Greetings All..

Normally I don’t send emails asking you to forward them to other people - but this message is an exception to the rule ! This message makes good sense and is a very special tribute to people who remember the tragic 9/11 incident at the Trade Center in New York - however, if you disagree to forward this email - this is your God given privilege - but I hope you will read the info below!

Many of us across the country are receiving a request to join a FLY THE FLAG campaign - and we are asking you to pass this message on to your family and all those others you may have listed in your address book. We further ask you to forward this message IMMEDIATELY - We only have little more than one week and counting to get this word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America. If you forward this email to your friends, your friends will send it on to their friends and we will have passed this request to thousands and thousands of people ! Get the idea ??

THE PROGRAM: On Thursday, September 11th, 2008, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States . Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this seventh anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms. In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly enough, many of those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.

Action Plan:

So, here's what we would like you to do ..

(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (unlimited number - your choice). Please don't be the one to break this chain. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.

(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

Very simple request, but very important to remember those who endured the pain of 9/11. If you decide to participate, please accept the appreciation of many people who have received this message from others before you. Thank you for your participation and may God Bless You and may God continue to bless our United States of America!

25 comments:

Vincent
said...

Dear David,

I like your idea and I plan to follow through on it by flying a flag on 9/11 and asking my town to do the same.

I would like to ask you to do something too. Please do not vote Republican this November. Vote Democratic, Libertarian or Independent but do not vote Republican. Now, I will tell why I am making this request.

The CIA told the Republican president the 9/11 attack was coming in a memo on 8/12 titled, Bin Laden determined to strike in the US. Instead of tracking down Bin Laden like a war criminal who killed 3000 US citizens, Bush himself acted like a war criminal by attacking Iraq that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attack, and by torturing detainees, and by wiretapping US citizens without a warrant.

I beseech you, on voting day in November, do not vote Republican. Thank you.

One thing that binds us on the anniversary of the September 11 al Qaeda attack on our country is the murderous assault on civilians… citizens…. working men and working women like you and me, in Downtown Manhattan.

As I watched people jump off the skyscrapers to their certain deaths (to avoid death by immolation,) I realized, it could have be me. If I had chosen the same career path just a different location, it would have been me.

Whether you oppose policies that you believe made US citizens a target for al Qaeda or oppose policies that have been adopted in the war on terror - and god knows I do - the day belongs to those who lost their lives because they worked in the United States in downtown Manhattan.

On 9/11/8, the Town of Amherst should remember the dead; US citizens like us, and the guests in our country alike, and observe their loss and our loss - lost because they worked here in the US in the wrong place and at the wrong time, in this country, in our country. Whether the SB decides to fly 29 flags or chooses some other official form of observation is a matter for deliberation, but that the SB chooses to recognize their deaths is a matter of respect.

The flag has specific meanings and roles to play. It is recognized and employed as a symbol of federal power and the principles of unity and the rights, privileges and obligations under the federal constitution, and by proxy, for sacrifice of the individual members of the armed forces. As a symbol of these near-sacred principles and remembrances, the flag should be used sparingly in order to be used effectively and properly.

The use of the flag to commemorate 9/11 seems ironic and inappropriate. It was a day of tremendous failure of the federal government - neglect of profound security threats by several administrations controlled by both parties allowed a bunch of thugs with 19th century technology to strike a serious blow against us.

Since then the flag has been cynically used to mobilize this trauma for short term power consolidation by a cynical, often anti-constitutional political party. This does not sully the flag, but it does tend to discredit people who seek to push the flag as a symbol to commemorate 9/11.

And I will fly my flag (and do fly my flag) in defiance of people like you. And if I can find one, I will go get a BIGGER flag to fly.

America. Love it or LEAVE it.

I have had just about enough of this intolerance. Imagine if one was to discuss anything else (race, gender, sexual orientation) in the manner that some do the US Government. It simply wouldn't be tolerated, likely would be criminal.

And I will fly my flag (and do fly my flag) in defiance of people like you. And if I can find one, I will go get a BIGGER flag to fly.

Good. I honor the flag by not using for cheap political stunts and for bullying fellow Americans who disagree with me.

The Constitution is another story. I have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, and I take that very seriously. I revere the flag because it symbolizes the sacrifice of my ancestors and my fellow citizens to protect this country and its constitution. Like a religious icon, it should not be debased by using it for narrow political purposes. Or for commercial exploitation, either.

The flag, at least the way you treat it, is just some sort of political prop. If it makes you feel big and important to wave it faster than the next guy, then I am glad it does something for you.

I am happy to honor those who died in 9/11 here in the US, but I refuse to go along with the line in David´s text about the troops ´defending our freedom,´in Iraq. Iraq didn´t blow up the planes, the terrorists did and we let them get away. We should never have invaded and so attaching the two is the mistake here.